Radio-controlled torpedo.



A. E. ERICSON. RADIO CONTROLLED TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, I916.

Patented June 5, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEYS V A. E. ERICSON. RADIO-CONTROLLED TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-20. 1916- 1,228,892. Patented June 5, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ARTHUR E. ERICSON, OF MANCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO GURTH A. WHIPPLE, 0F BINGHAIYITON, NEW YORK.

RADIO-CONTROLLED TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, ram.

Application filed January 2t), 1916. Serial No. 73,099.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR ERiosoN, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Manchester, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Radio-Controlled Torpedoes,.of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved devices, whereby the steering gear of a torpedo, or of a motor driven boat, or other self-propelled unit. may be controlled from a distant point by means of radio or wireless impulses. My invention comprises essentially devices located on the torpedo, or other unit to be directed for turning the rudder in one direction or the other under the control of electric means which are energized in accordance with the controlled radio impulses sent out from the sending or control station. To attain this end, I make use of synchronously rotating contact makers at the sending and receiving stations which contact makers alternately pass over contacts of a first and a second series, which may be termed the left contacts and the right contacts. A controlling switch at the sending station has two positions, in one of which a local circuit is completed to energize a controlling relay when the contact maker is in engagement with any contact or segment of the first series. hen the switch is in the other circuit-closing position, the relay is energized when the contact maker engages any contact of the second series. Radio impulses are emitted while the controlling relay is energized and are received by suitable apparatus upon the torpedo, or other unit to be controlled. The radiow-aves thus received cause the energizing of one or another of two relays, in accordance with the position of the controlling switch at the sending station. When the controlling switch is 1n its left position,.i1npulses are sent out during the times the contact maker at the sending station is in engagement with the'contacts of the left series. During such intervals of time, the corresponding relay at the receiving station on the torpedo is energized, resulting in the energizingof a local circuit, which causes the rotation of the rudder in proper direction to turn the torpedo to the left. hen the controlling switch at the sending station is. in its right position, radio impulses are sent out during theinin one direction or the other, to a source of current by the energizing of one or the other of its controlling relays. The rotation of this motor in one. direction or the other, in my preferred apparatus, causes the rotation of a threaded rod upon which is mounted a threaded block which is caused to travel in one direction or the other by the rotation of the rod, the block being suitably connected to the rudder to rotate the latter in one di-' rection or the other as the block travels in forward or reverse direction upon the rod.

Preferably, my invention provides means for simultaneously sending out radio impulses of different character, such as one series of impulses comprising relatively short waves and a second series comprising relatively long waves. The long waves and the 1 short waves are received by suitableapparatus, and each set of waves results in the energizing of a separate relay. The two relays referred .to are both included in a circuit at the receiving station, whereby one or the other of the steering gear controlling relays is energized. By this means, the simultaneous sending of both sets of impulses is rendered'necessary in order that the steergear of the torpedo should be affected. Accordingly, the design of a hostile ship, or other agency, to deflect the torpedo by itself sending out interfering Waves is prevented.

My invention also comprises details of construction, including the provision of cutout devices at the receiving station, whereby the steering motor circuit is automatically broken whenever the rudder has been operated into its hardover position, either toport or starboard, so that further impulses designed to turn the rudder to the port or starboard side will have no effect when the rudder is already in its extreme position to that side. My invention also comprises the methods involved in controlling a torpedo or the like, as stated.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustrating certain embodiments of my imlated from each other.

the sending statlon represented in Fig. 1

is provided with a dial 1, in which aremounted an inner plate 2 and an outer plate 3 of brass or other electrically conducting material insu-. The inner plate 2 is provided with spaced peripheral ears or lugs 4 which extend into correspondingly cut-away portions of the outer plate 3. The outer .plate 3 is provided with corresponding inwardly projecting portions 5, which extend between the ears '4, the projections 4 p the inner plate 2 of and 5 being insulated from each other. A

pointer 6 is pivoted at 7 at the center of the dial and is rotated by suitable clockwork over the face of the dial. The pointer carries a metal brush 8 which makes contact alternately with the projections 4. of the inner plate and projections 5 of the outer plate. The projections 4 constitute seg-' ments or contacts of one series, and the projections 5 the segments or contacts of a second series, the various contacts of each series being electrically connected. Preferably the segments are equally spaced apart. If pointer 6 makes one revolution per minute, which is ,a suitable arrangement, brush 8 may engage each contact for five seconds.

A double throw switch 9 having a pivoted blade 9 is provided with left and right stationary contacts 10 and 11, with either of which the blade may engage. The blade is electrically connected by wire 12, through battery 13, with the aXle of pointer 6. A relay 14 is included in the connection, the

terminals of the relay coil preferably being connected across the wire 12, as shown, with a fixed condenser 15 between the terminals 16 and 17 of the coil. and others provided in similar locations, to be referred to later, are provided for the purpose of reducing sparking causedby the making and breaking of contacts at relay 14 and in similar locations.

The left hand stationary contact 10 of switch 9 is connected, as is shown at 18, to

hand contact 11 of the switch is joined by connection 19 to the outer plate 3 of'the dial. Accordingly, when switch 9 is closed on its right hand contact 11, as is shown in the drawing, circuit will be closed through battery 13 and relay 14 during the intervals The condenser 15 the dial, and the right inwhich brush 8 is in contact with the segments 5 of the outer plate, the connection being broken and relay 14 deenergized during the times brush 8 is in contact with the segments 4 of the inner plate. On the other hand, when switch blade 9 is engaging the left hand stationary contact 10, relay 14 will be energized during the times brush 8 passes over the segments 4 of the innerplate and deenergized while brush 8 passes over the segments 5 of the outer plate.

Radio impulses are sent-out during the times relay 14 is energized, the impulses be the two sides of a 110 volt alternatingcurrent circuit are connected through switch 28, when the latter is closed, to the connections 29 and 30 of a circuit including the relay armature 25 and the primary coil 31 of the transformer. The secondary 32 of the transformer is connected through spark gap 33 with the primary of the oscillation transformer 22. The primary 31 of a second transformer is connected across the circuit 29, 30, the secondary 32 of this transa former being connected through spark gap 33 -to the primary of oscillation transformer 24. Fixed condensers 34 and 34' are connected across the circuits of the secondaries 32 and 32 respectively. The transmitting loading coil 21 and the oscil lation transformers 22 and 24 may be so adjusted that short waves are sent out from antenna 20 and long waves from antenna 23.

The receiving station is provided withantenna 35 which is connected through the short wave loading coil 36' and coherer 37 with ground 9 Antenna 35 is also con nected in parallel through long wave loading coil 36 and coherer 37 with ground 9 The terminals of coherer 37 are connected in series through choke coils 38 and 39 and battery 40 with relay 41. The terminals of coherer 37 are similarly connected through choke coils 38 and 39, and battery 40 with relay 42. The loading coils36 and 36 are suitably adjusted or tuned, so that the short wave impulses sentout from antenna 20 affect coherer 37 and the long wave impulses sent out from antenna 23afiect coherer 37 Relays 41 and 42 are provided with armatures 41 and 42 connected together by wire 43. When relays 41 and 42 are energized. by the closing of their local circuits through the coherers, armatures 41 and 42' close on contacts 44 and 45.

A dial 46 is provided at the receiving station having an inner plate 2, outer plate 3, segments or projections4 and 5' on the'inner and outer plates, respectively, anda time-rotated pointer 6' provided with a brush 8', all similar to the corresponding parts of the dial 1 at the sending station. Pointer 6 rotates synchronously with pointer 6 and engages the contacts of one series, such as the contacts 4, at the same time brush 8 at the sending station engages contacts 4 of the corresponding series. Pointer 6' is connected through battery 47 and wire 48 with the fixed contact 45 of relay 42.

The inner plate 2 of the receiving dial is connected by wire 49 with the coil of a relay 50, the circuit continuing through a cutout switch 51, and by way of connection 52 back to the armature contact 44 of relay 41. The outer plate 3 of the receivin dial is connected by wire 53 to the coil 0 a relay 54, the circuit continuing through a cut-out switch 55, and back through connection 52 to the armature contact 44 of relay 41. Fixed condensers 56 are connected across the wires 53 and 49, extendin to the outer and inner series of contacts 0 the dial.

The rudder ofthe torpedo, or other unit A to be steered, is represented as having a direction-controlling shaft 57, pivoted at 58. A mutilated gear 59 mounted on the stud 58 -meshes with a similar gear 60 on the end of a rod 61, rod 61 being pivoted at 62 at the center of rotation of gear 60. Rod 61 1s slidably mounted in an enlargement 63 of a threaded block 64 which is mounted on a threaded rod 65 rotatably mounted in standards 66, 66 at its two ends. A gear 67 is secured on threaded rod 65 and meshes with a pinion 67 on the shaft 68 of a reversible motor 69. A

A battery or source of current 70of suifi- I cient power to operate motor 69 is connected by wire 71 with a terminal 72 of the motor. Terminal 73 of, the motor is connected by a wire 74 to the armature 75 of relay 54. A- third terminal 76 of the motor is connected by wire 77 with the armature 78 of relay 50. The terminals of the'motor are so connected as to cause the motor to rotate in one direction, when battery 70 is connected across the terminals 72, 73, and to rotate in the opposite direction, when the battery is connected across the terminals 72, 76 of the motor.

Vhen the motor rotates in one direction;

block 64 is fed in one direction along I is hardover in one direction as illustrated, a

pin 79 on block 64 contacts the tail of the of contact with the fixed member 0 the cutout to correspondingly open the control circuit at that point. i

When switch 9 at the sending station closes contact at the right, and brush 8 is in engagement with one of .the right contacts 5, this being the position shown in the drawings, relay 14 is energize and impulses are sent out by both antennae 20 and 23, which operate coherers 37, and 37, to'close the circuits of relays 41 and 42, thus closing contact between the armatures of the relays and their contacts-44and 45. Brush 8' of the receiving dial now being in contact with one of the right contacts 5', circuit is closed from battery 47 through pointer 6', plate 3', connection 53, relay 54, cut-out 55, connection 52, relay armatures 41 and 42 and connection 48,1back to the battery 47. Relay 54 is accordingly energized, and contact being closed between the armature 75 of relay 54 and its fixed contact 84, the motor circuit is completed from battery 70 through the terminals 72 and 73 of the motor. The motor will accordingly'rotate in the same direction for periods of five seconds each, with periods of five seconds stoppage between each period of rotation, or with periods of. rotation and stoppage corresponding to the contact and non-contact of brush 8' with segments 5' solong as switch 9 is in its right hand position, provided that cut-out- 55 remains closed. In the drawings, cut-out 51 is open, the rudder being hard-over in its left hand position and switch 9 having just been moved to its right hand position to start block 64 traveling in the reverse direction. This travel of block 64 will continue, cut-out 51 closing meanwhile until pin 79 opens cut-out 55 if switch 9 remains in its right hand position. this. time, the rudder will be hard-over in the opposite position from that illustrated, and cut-out 55 being opened, the circuit of relay 54 will be open, resulting in the opening of the motor circuit through terminals 72 and 73, so that further impulses will have no eflectupon the rudder until switch 9 is moved to its left hand position.

. When switch 9 is in its left hand position,

the impulses are sent out from the sending station during the times brush 8 contacts segments 4 of the inner dial; At such times, brush 8 being in contact with one of the segments. 4 of dial 46, the circuit of relay 50 is closed, ifcut-out 51 isclosed, the circuit extending from battery 47 through the pointer 6 and plate 2, connection 49, the

coil of relay 50, cut-out 51, connection 52, relay armatures 41 and 42 and connection 48, back to battery 47. The armature 78 of relay 50 now being closed on-contact 85, the

This causes turnin circuit of motor 69 is closed through its terminals 72 and 76, the circuit extending from battery 70 and connection 71 to terminal 72 of the motor and from terminal 76 of the motor through connection 7 7, armature 78 and contact 85 back to battery 70. of the rudder in the opposite direction 1n the same manner as previously described for-the opposite motor connection.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated a torpedo 86, provided with a propeller 87 and a rudder 88 which may be turned by connection with the rudder rod 57 previously described. A

pair of hollow masts 89 are provided, pref erably of metal, from which the antenna or aerial 35 is supported. Preferably a short length of tubing .90 of brass or other-con- 94 leading to the loading coils 36 and 36'..

The object of the connection described between the aerial and wires 91- is to prevent the apparatus being .put out of commission in case either mast should be broken or shot away. It this case,"theaerial will swing,

but will not reach the'water, the efl'ective length of the aerial being shortened, while at the same time it will be in most-cases supported at some distance above the deck and still be kept in operation. The aerial wires are insulated, so that if they touch the masts thaglwill not short-circuit the aerial.

e coherers 37 and 37 may be of any. suitable design of cohereror detector, adapted to close a circuit through" the relay'in series therewith, when afiected by the radio waves received. -The condenser capacity; the choke coils and the other elements of the devices for sending and receiving radio impulses may be the same as are used in standard wireless telegraph. practice.

Having now artieularly described myinvention, what by Letters Patent is as follows s 1. In radio-controlled apparatus, the combination'of instrumentalities at a sending station, comprising a constantly rotating contact-maker, contacts in two series, passed over by said contact maker in its rotation, the contacts. of each series bemg connected claim and desire to protecttogether, and contacts of the two series being arranged alternately, a control relay, a switch, means for energizing said relay when said switch is in one position and While said contact maker engages contacts of one series, and for energizing said relay when said switch is in another position, and while said contact maker engages contacts of the other series, and means for transmitting radio impulses during the periods said relay is energized, substantially as set forth.

.2. In radio-controlled apparatus, the combination of instrumentallties at a sending station, comprising a relay, a double throw switch, a rotating contact maker and contacts of two series engaged thereby in its rotation, means for energizing the relay when said switch is in. one position and contacts of one series are engaged, and when the switch is in the opposite position and contacts of the other series are engaged by the contact maker, and means for simultaneously and continuously transmitting two series of radio impulses during the times said relay is energized, the impulses .of oneseries being characterized by a greater wave length than those of the other, substantially as set forth.

.3. In radio-controlled apparatus, the com-- bination of instrumentalities at a sending station, comprising a hand-operated switch having two operative positions and an intermediate neutral position, and means for transmitting radio impulses during separated timed intervals if said switch is in one operative position, so' long as said switch trolling devices and means for simultaneously transmitting two series of radio impulses at times governed by said devices, said series of impulses differing in character from each other and each series being of constant frequency, and a receiving station comprising selective devices actuated respectlvely vby sa1d series of '1mpu'lses,'a cn'clut adapted to be closed when all of said selective devices are actuated, and open when any one of the same 1s not actuated, a re-- verslble motor, means for actuatlng the same in one direction or the other when said circult 1s closed, a steerlng gear, andmeans for.

controlling the position thereof, actuated by said motor, substantially as set forth.

5. In radio-controlled apparatus, the combination of instru'mentalities at a receiving station, comprising areversible motor, a steering gear, means actuated by said motor for controlling said steering gear, a source of current, circuits including said source, for rotating said motor in one direction or the other, relays for closing one or the other of said circuits, means for receiving radio impulses, a rotating contact maker and contacts passed over by the same, and means for actuating one or another of said relays, in accordance with the position of said contact maker, when radio impulses are received by said impulse-receiving means, substantially as set forth.

6. In radio-controlled' apparatus, the combination of instrumentalities at a sending station, comprising a hand-operated switch having two operative positions and an intermediate neutral position, and means for transmitting radio impulses during separated timed intervals if said switch is in one operative position, so long as said switch remains in such position, and for transmitting similar impulses during separated intervals intermediate said other intervals, if said switch is in its other operative position, so long as said switch remains in such osition, and means at a receiving station a ected by such impulses, a pair .of circuits, and means for closing one or the other of said circuits, when said impulse-affected means is affected, in accordance with whether said switch is in one or the other operative position, during one or the other series of timed intervals, substantially as set forth.

7. In radio-controlled apparatus, the combination of instrumentalities at a receiving station, comprising a pair of differently tuned antenna-to-ground circuits, each ineluding a coherer, a pair of local circuits, each lncludlng one of said coherers and a relay, a control circuit including contacts closed when said relays are energized, and

7 including a rotary contact maker and one or another contact of two sets of contacts passed over by said contact maker, a steering gear, a pair of direction-controlling means therefor, and means for actuating one or the other of said direction-controlling means in accordance with the position of said rotary contact maker, substantially as set forth.

8. In radio-controlled apparatus, the com bination of a sending station comprising means for transmitting radio impulses, a relay controlling the same, and means, including a double throw switch, a rotary contact -maker, and contacts of two series, for energizing said relay when a contact engaged by said contact maker corresponds to the position of the switch; and a receiving station comprising a contact maker and contacts similarly arranged to those first 'mentioned, said contact maker rotating synchronously with said first contact maker, a circuit for-receiving the radio'impulses transmitted, a steering gear, a pair of direction controllingmeans therefor, and means for actuating one or the other of sald directionunder the control of a switch having left,v

right and neutral positions, means at the receiving station affected by such impulses,

a pair of circuits, one or the other of which is closed, when said last-named means is so affected, in accordance with whether said switch is in its left or its right position, during the times said contact makers pass over contacts of the series corresponding to the position of said switch, a reversible motor, and means, for rotating said motor in one direction or the other rendered operative-.by the closing of one or the other of said pair of circuits, substantially as set forth.

10. I In a self-propelled device of the character described, the combination of an antenna, a pair of hollow masts, supporting the antenna, tubular ,conductors in said masts, loose connections between the antenna and the interiors of said tubular conductors, impulse receiving devices, and connections extending through said masts between said tubular conductors and said devices, substantially as set forth.

11. In a self-propelled device of the character described, the combination of a steering gear, a reversible motor, a threaded shaft rotated by said motor, a threaded 'block mounted on and movable lengthwise of said shaft as the latter rotates, a pivoted rod the angular position of which is controlled by the travel of said block, connections for controlling the position of said steering gear from the movement of said rod, and means,

for transmitting radio impulses during sep- I arated timed intervals if said switch'is in oneoperative POSltlOIl, so long as said switch remains in such position, and for transmitting similar impulses during separated intervals intermediate said other intervals, if said switch is in its other operative position,

so long as said switch remains in such position, and means at a receving station aifecta switch for completing a circuit throughed by such impulses, "a steering gear, and means for turning said steering gear, when said impulse-affected means is affected, in

one direction, during one series of timed intervals, when said swltch is in one operatlve pos1t1on, and n the other dlrection,

during the, other series of intervals, when said switch is in its other operative position,

substantially as set forth.

tacts of two series; and means for transmitting radio impulses from a distant point, together With control means therefor, including a contact maker rotating with said first contact maker, contacts similar to these passed over by said first contact maker, and

said second contact maker and contacts of one or the other series, substantially as set forth.

14. In radio-controlled apparatus, the

combination of instrumentalities at a re-' ceiving station, comprising a steering gear, devices affected by radio impulses received, and means for turning said steering gear in one direction, during a series of separated timed intervals, so long as said devices are afi'ected during such intervals, and forturning said steering gearin the opposite direction, durlng a series of timed intervals, intermedlate said other intervals, so long as said devices are affected during such intermediate intervals, substantiallyas set forth. This specification signed and witnessed this 12th day of January, 1916.

ARTHUR'E. ERIGSON.

Witnesses: l

HENRY B. MoCALLoM, FRANK L. FLOYD. 

